Sakura and the Mysterious Neighbor
by Poppy Grave Dreams
Summary: Modern!AU, Invisible!Kakashi. Moving into a new neighborhood, Sakura encounters the mystery of Hatake Kakashi: a recluse who hides his entire body. Determined to crack his impenetrable exterior, Sakura quickly discovers that some people have reasons to hide . . . and that Kakashi hides in more ways than one. Maybe romance in the future.


I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura and the Mysterious Neighbor<strong>

* * *

><p>Sakura sighed contentedly as she set the last of the boxes onto the floor, taking a moment to observe her handiwork. Here was her entire life, packaged and piled in the foyers of her first home. The walls were white and bare, the floorboards dusty, but that would change soon enough.<p>

Raising her arms over her head, Sakura stood up straight and stretched into a satisfying, bone-cracking arc, feeling the ache of all the lifting she had done. Some of those boxes were heavy, and all of her friends had been too busy finding new living situations after their college graduations to help her.

"Hello?" Surprised by the voice, Sakura turned around to see an older woman lingering in her doorway, a foil-covered dish in one hand. Oddly enough, there was also a miniature pet pig wearing pearls at her feet, earning a raised eyebrow from Sakura.

"Can I help you?" Sakura asked, walking over to the woman and giving her a tentative smile.

"Oh, I just wanted to greet you to the neighborhood! I'm Shizune, and this is Tonton." Shizune gestured to the pig, which oinked, and then held the dish out to Sakura. "I also made a casserole for you, if you'd like it. I figured you'd be too busy unpacking to feel up to much cooking."

Sakura relaxed, the woman's welcoming demeanor quickly winning her over, especially the promise of food. Nodding, Sakura graciously took the dish from the woman.

"Thanks! I'd invite you in, but . . ." She didn't need to say anymore, Shizune could see the miscellaneous possessions behind the shorter woman. "I'm Haruno Sakura, by the way. It's wonderful to meet you; I just hope the other neighbors are as nice."

"Where have I heard that name before . . . oh, aren't you the surgeon that's starting soon at Konoha Hospital?"

"Eh, how did you know?"

"I'm the director's assistant in addition to working in toxicology, so I'm privy to this kind of information."

"Oh, small world." Because really, what were the odds? "So, what is the rest of the neighborhood like?"

"It's an interesting place, once you get to know it, but there's nobody you really need to look out for. Well, maybe Anko, but she's generally harmless so long as you're not stupid."

"Gee, that's reassuring." Sakura wasn't sure whether or not her to-be colleague was being serious or not, so she settled for chuckling awkwardly.

"Don't worry; you seem sensible enough. Oh, but take care not to trespass on Hatake's property."

"Who?"

"He lives in the house directly across the street from you."

"Okay, but why not?" Sakura tilted her head.

"He's a very private person. Nobody comes or goes and he seems to like it that way."

"Seems to?"

"We've hardly ever seen the guy, let alone spoken to him. In fact, he rarely leaves his house except for winter."

Sakura pursed her lips together. That sounded like a very lonely way to live. Thanking Shizune and promising to catch up with her once she wasn't busy moving in, Sakura went back to work.

* * *

><p>A week went by and Sakura was settled in, and had struck up a friendly rapport with Shizune. Because Sakura did not have her own car, Shizune was even kind enough to drive her to work when their schedules aligned. She had even met the neighbors, a nice but eccentric bunch. Well, all but one.<p>

Hatake Kakashi.

Living across the street from him and talking to the older residents yielded little more than what Shizune had revealed: he was a tall man with a veritable pack of dogs—Sakura had heard them (and their barks often woke her up at night)—who had never been seen outside of winter garb. He even wore large sunglasses in the middle of winter, which Sakura thought was odd, but perhaps he had an eye disorder that required them.

But she knew nothing else.

So now she was standing on her front porch, relishing the shade from the oppressing sun. Summer was in full force now and her house was unbearably hot. At least outside there was a breeze, even if it did little about the humidity that stuck her clothes to her skin and made her feel like she was drowning on air. Gone from Konoha for several years, Sakura had forgotten just how muggy the Land of Fire's summers could be, having become used to Oto's more temperate climate.

Her attention inevitably drifted over to the house across the street. It was a bit worse for the wear compared to the surrounding houses, the dingy white paint in need of touching up and the yard infested with weeds. The blinds were, as always, shuttered close.

Sakura wondered what was behind the impenetrable façade. Who was this mysterious Hatake Kakashi? Why did he never show himself to anybody?

He was like the elephant in the room, everybody else in the neighborhood acted as if he didn't exist.

Unconsciously, she began to frown at the unkempt house. How could anyone live like that! Quickly planning, Sakura whisked into her home and into the kitchen, snatching up a bag of chocolate fudge cookies before striding with purpose across the street. Nobody could resist her cookies!

She paused before the worn blue door, working on fixing her face into what she was positive was a welcoming, sweet expression, and then rapped her knuckles on the door. She waited, and when there was no response Sakura knocked louder, increasing her efforts until she was nearly banging the door down.

Hearing barking coming from within, she stopped. The baying canines eventually quieted, and then . . .

"May I help you?" the tone was not an inviting one.

Sakura gaped at the figure before her. He was _tall_, having at least a foot on her, and all the more imposing in his dark wardrobe, which couldn't hide his lean build but somehow seemed to stretch him out, like a shadow.

More importantly than that, though . . .

"Are you _crazy_? You're going to die of heat stroke!" The infamous Hatake Kakashi was wearing a thick, long-sleeved shirt that led into heavy leather gloves, long pants stuffed into boots and, of all things, a_ scarf _covering the lower half of his face and a_ wooly hat _over everything but the sliver of his eyes, which were then hidden by his sunglasses! There was not a single scrap of skin to be seen!

"I don't think—" Before Kakashi could finish, Sakura was already lunging at him, reaching for his scarf.

"Stop that!" Kakashi caught Sakura's outstretched hand as he stumbled back. They fell to the ground in an unceremonious heap, both of them wincing at the hard landing.

"Ow." Sakura sat up on Kakashi, idly taking note of the chiseled musculature beneath her which would surely have embarrassed her had she not noticed that the scarf had come off in their brief struggle. A pleased thrill shooting through her at her success, she quickly snuck a glance at her enigmatic neighbor's face while he was still stunned . . .

"_What!" _She screamed. Kakashi, cursing, threw her off of him and hurried for the door, shutting it behind him and locking it.

Sakura remained sprawled on the floor, staring up at him in shock. He scrutinized her, causing her to shift uncomfortably.

"We obviously have much to talk about." His voice was freezing, chilling Sakura to the bone. Yes, they had a lot to talk about, because Hatake Kakashi . . . he had no face. Where one should be was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Note:<span>

I haven't really written anything in too long, so I feel like my writing reflects that. In any case, this is just an experimental little thing I was writing that I had been flip-flopping on which characters to use. Basically Kakashi's an invisible man who hides himself from the world, and after Sakura finds out she is determined to help him live life even though he's invisible.


End file.
